Pig-killings and festive processions signal masopust arrival

Colourful masks, folk dances and pig-killing feasts attract crowds of people to the streets and signal the approach of Czechia’s masopust (Mardi Gras) celebrations, traditionally followed by a 40-day fasting period before Easter. Ash Wednesday, which marks the end of Mardi Gras, falls on 14 February this year.